French Interior Minister’s Brief Visit to Morocco Focuses on Security Cooperation and Migration Issues
Bruno Le Roux discusses migration, crime, and deportations with Moroccan counterpart following France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Watan-French Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux made a brief visit to Rabat on Monday, during which he is expected to discuss security cooperation between France and Morocco with his Moroccan counterpart Abdelouafi Laftit.
Le Roux arrived in Rabat on Sunday evening, and his visit will last only a few hours. He will mainly discuss migration cooperation, organized crime, and drug trafficking with Laftit, according to the French Ministry of the Interior.
Relations between Paris and Rabat have improved significantly since France’s recognition in the summer of 2024 of Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara, ending years of tension, particularly concerning migration issues.
Tensions Rise Between France and Algeria as Diplomatic Disputes Intensify
However, after this recognition, relations between France and Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front advocating for the independence of Western Sahara, deteriorated further. Algeria has requested that 12 French embassy employees leave Algerian territory within 48 hours, Paris announced on Monday.
Le Roux’s visit follows a meeting with his Moroccan counterpart during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco in October last year, where the French president announced an “enhanced partnership” between France and Morocco to combat irregular migration and human trafficking.
The two sides also discussed the issue of Moroccan citizens in France without residence permits who France wishes to deport. However, their return is often delayed due to Rabat’s failure to issue consular permits to facilitate the process.
Le Roux announced his visit on Thursday, stating it aims to “strengthen the progress made with this country, especially regarding consular permits,” including their issuance time and the number of deportations.
In 2021 and 2022, France halved the number of visas granted to Moroccans to pressure the kingdom into accepting more of its citizens who had been ordered to be deported, leading to significant diplomatic tensions.
